Islamic Fiqh > Fasting > The pregnant and nursing woman's fast
Fasting in pregnancy or nursing: when to fast, when to break, who makes up and who pays the food, per the schools.
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Updated on 31 August 2026 at 3:55 AM
The fuqaha agree: the pregnant woman and the nursing woman may break the fast in Ramadan if they fear for themselves or for their child an illness, its worsening, harm or ruin. The child is, for his mother, like an organ: fearing for him is fearing for a part of herself. Al-Dardir specifies: breaking is obligatory if they fear ruin or severe harm, permitted if they fear illness. The Hanbalis dislike their fasting in this case, as with the sick person. The basis is the verse: "Whoever among you is ill or on a journey, then a count of other days" (al-Baqara 185): al-Kasani explains that the word "ill" targets whatever harms the fast. Al-Mudawwana states it plainly: pregnancy is a true illness, nursing is like an illness. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Allah has lifted from the traveller the fast and half the prayer, and from the pregnant or nursing woman the fast" or "the prayer" (reported by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, sahih hadith).
The four schools agree: if they broke fearing for themselves or for the child, the make-up is due from them, as from the sick person.
The majority (Hanafis, Shafi'is, Hanbalis): nothing besides the make-up, no fidya, for no proof imposes it and their case resembles the sick person. But a nuance exists among the Shafi'is and the Hanbalis: if the fear concerned the child, the fidya is added, feeding a poor person per day, on "and for those who can barely bear it, a compensation: feeding a poor person" (al-Baqara 184) and Ibn Abbas's word: "The old man and the old woman, able to fast, were granted to break and feed a poor person per day without make-up; then this was abrogated by 'Whoever among you witnesses the month, let him fast it', and there remains for the incapable old man, as for the pregnant and nursing woman if they fear: they break and feed a poor person per day" (reported by al-Bayhaqi 4/230, at-Tabari and Ibn al-Jarud; a version in Abu Dawud 2318).
The Hanafis refuse the fidya: they broke upon an order, and the order to break does not accord with an expiation due for breaking; and the hadith of the lifting mentions no expiation. The Malikis distinguish: the pregnant woman owes no fidya (she is like the menstruating woman, dispensed by excuse); for the nursing mother, Malik has several narrations: an obligatory fidya of a mudd per day, or a graded fidya (two mudds for the nursing woman, one for the pregnant), or a fidya for the nursing woman alone.
Established fear for the mother or the child: break without hesitation, then make up day for day; the fidya is due, according to some views, only when the fear concerned the child. Medical follow-up clarifies the fear that authorises breaking.
That is the doctor's question: if medical follow-up sees risk for child or mother, breaking is full permission; otherwise fast with hydration and rest.
The schools diverge: makeup (Hanafis, Hanbalis), makeup + fidya (Malikis), fidya alone (Ibn 'Abbas's view); prudence recommends makeup + fidya.
Break immediately: the child's health prevails; the day is made up, and Ibn 'Abbas's view allows fidya for the nursing mother.
That is the divergence: caution (Malik, Abu Hanifa) asks makeup first; Ash-Shafi'i admits the reverse order: see the six days page.